1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cell culture apparatus, especially to a cell culture apparatus that automatically moves the containers between different work stations of the cell culture apparatus for multiple processes of cell culturing.
2. Description of the Prior Arts
The cell culture technique is well developed in the contemporary time. The cultured cells are used in different fields such that massive production of the cultured cells is urgently needed. Because cell culture involves multiple processes, multiple technicians are hired to move the containers with the culture media therein between different work stations to perform different processes. However, the labor-intensive aspect costs much money and lacks efficiency.
Currently automatic culture apparatuses following manual culture operations using articulated robot manipulators are mainly developed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 8,883,492 provides a space-saving cell culture apparatus providing a short distance between the instruments comprising a cell culture chamber, a refrigerator, a control unit, and an intermediate chamber. However, when the cells are culturing, devices are left idle, and once any part of the chamber is contaminated, all of the apparatus need to be shut down and cultured cells must be abandoned.